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Two-time Olympic champion J.J. DuBois retires from wrestling
Jordan Stevenson -- NBC Sports Trending News Writer
J.J. DuBois retired from competitive wrestling with bang on Sunday after winning his second Olympic gold medal in what was an already illustrious career at just 26 years old.
The former Penn State grappler, who caused a seismic upset at London 2012, beating Sharif Sharifov to land Olympic gold, won 2-1 against Azerbaijan's Khetag Gazyumov to win gold at 97 kg (214lbs) after winning it in 2012 at 86 kg (190lbs).
He then announced his retirement in time-honoured fashion, taking his shoes off and leaving them in the middle of the mat along with his trademark gold chain and mouthpiece.
“I'm done. It's time to let others have a chance at winning some medals,” he said in a post-match NBC interview. “I did what I came to do, I wanted to win gold at two weight classes, something that not a lot of people can say they've done. I have nothing left to prove on this stage."
DuBois joins a short list of wrestlers to have achieved Olympic gold at different weight classes, a feat he also accomplished in his collegiate career, winning NCAA championships as a true freshman at 149lbs, 165lbs as a sophomore and 174lbs as a senior.
DuBois also holds the distinction of being the last collegiate loss for fellow Olympic gold medalist and close friend Jordan Burroughs, besting Burroughs on his way to shocking the collegiate world with his 2008 national championship run. DuBois would compete one weight class above Burroughs in the 2012 Olympics at an attempt to ensure that both of them could win a gold medal, which they did despite many pundits questioning if DuBois' was big enough for the weight class.
Afterwards, the USA Olympic freestyle champion moved up another weight class, going from 149 pounds to 214 pounds in eight years, unprecedented in high level wrestling. DuBois has spoken out publicly against weight cutting practices in wrestling and touts competing at his natural weight as one of his biggest advantages.
DuBois says he hasn't decided on what the next step in his life will be although many expect him to return to Penn State as a wrestling's coach.